Blog 5: Psychological Skills Training – Goals

Blog 5: Psychological Skills Training – Goals

The below video and blog detail Goals plus examples of how to execute your plans.

Set a goal that is SMART.

Specific: 10 push-ups per night is more specific than saying I will do push-ups nightly.

Measurable: becoming a better student by studying with flashcards, re-reading aloud after reading, & asking teacher what to do to increase my scores or grades can be evaluated, analyzed, & measured.

Attainable: not so hard no one can do it or so easy you have already done it.

Realistic: executing 1 million push-ups in 1 minute is unrealistic – as is beating Jordan Burroughs in wrestling at your current development stage.

Timely: when you will accomplish goal. Goals need timelines to become real…start dates and finish dates.

Identifywhy this goal will make you happy or better. Think of why you will enjoy this goal.

List obstacles in your way. Becoming a straight ‘A’ student or a state champion has many obstacles and you should list them. You may be unable to see or list all obstacles now…but they are there.

Seek guidance & counsel. This is what your parents, teachers, coaches, and most adults are for…they can help you if you ask.

Consider who can help you. Your friends, relatives, classmates, teammates may be able to help you if you ask.

List skills & knowledge required. Do you have to master reading or basic math or basic wrestling skills or whatever to accomplish your goal?

Develop a plan of action. Action or inaction makes everything happen. Write it down and do it!!!

Set a deadline. You need a start and finish time to realize your goals…other wise you are wishing, dreaming, wasting time and running your brain in circles.

Olympic Champion and Olympic Greco-Roman Coach Steve Fraser created the AP&R form to assist his athletes in planning, executing, and reviewing goals. An adapted AP&R form can be found here: Athlete Planning & Review. For more mental skills resources, view Mental Skills Handbook.